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The blues rose out of the collective misery of black Americans, who labored in the cottonfields and levee camps of the Deep South. After their backbreaking work in the Mississippi Delta region, they created plaintive songs accompanied by guitars or handmade musical instruments. This music chronicled the lives of low-paid workers, with strong connections to their African music origins. American Patchwork: The Land Where Blues Began visits a black church where the members lift their voices in praise in a demonstrative show of their strong faith. Performers include Napoleon Strickland, Lonnie Pitchford, and Jack Owens.